Fountain pen



Feb. 18, 1936.l l. D. TEFFT FOUNTAIN PEN Filed Aug. 6, 1934 l :Ill ill]III| Az2'.tivi# 1 Patented Feb. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES FOUNTAIN PEN IvanD. Tefft, Janesville, Wis., assigner to The Parker Pen Company,Janesville, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application August 6,

y Claims. Myinvention relates to fountain pens and particularly to thatclass generally designated as the pump filler type. More particularly itrelates to the class of fountain pens which employ a rubber 5 diaphragmwhich, when actuated, tends to create a partial vacuum within the barrelto draw ink thereinto through the apertured section. An analogous deviceis disclosed in the patent 4to Arthur O. Dahlberg, Number 1,904,358,Aprill8, 1933. v However, in the instance of the Dahlberg device theplunger for actuatingthe diaphragm is returned to normal positionthrough the medium of a'spring whereas in my device no spring isemployed.

Furthermore, in the Dahlberg structure -the method of assembling theplunger of` the filling structure is such that while the plunger may bereciprocated. it cannot be rotated.

In the instance of the device disclosed herein, the lling of the pen maybe accomplished by either or-both reciprocation and/or rotation oftheplunger. In the instance of filling by reciprocation, the plungerrolls upon itself as in the Dahlbes structure, and when filling byrotation of the plunger, the diaphragm is twisted to accomplish the sameresult.

It in the twisting action the end of the plunger is held lightly betweenthe fingers, the said plung- 30 er will reciprocate out of the retainingsleeve due l'o the' natural action of the rubber diaphragm when twistedabout the plunger stem.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a fountain pen of thepump ll type which may be filled by either reciprocationof the pumpplunger or rotation thereof.

Another object is to provide a pump mechanism that may -be readilyassembled inthe rear end of the barrel as a complete unit.

Another object is to provide a new and unique means for firmlyV axingthe end of the plunger io the lower closed end of the diaphragm.

In order to better understand the details of construction of myinvention,'attention is the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 discloses a pen assembly withv the blind and outer caps removedfrom the rear and nib ends of the barrel;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the rear end of a pen barrelwith my improved pump ll mechanism mounted therein and disclosing theaction of the diaphragm when the pen is iilled by reciprocation of theplunger; and

Fig. 3 is a view'partiallyiragmentary and partially in plan of theimproved unit which discloses directed to f 1934, Serial No. 738,623

(Cl. 1Z0-46) the action of the diaphragm when the actuated by rotationof the plunger.

In thedrawing the numeral I0 is generally used to indicate a pen barrel,the top open end l.of which is milled to provide a tapered shoulder II 5and internally threaded as at I2. The said barrel ID is axially drilledto provide an ink reservoir I3. The pump unit consists of an externallythreaded nut I4, one end of which is reduced and threaded as at t5. Thesaid nut I4 is adapted 10 to be screwed into the internally threadedrear end of the barrel and bear against a circular wedge member IGwhich, in turn, engages the skirt of an open-ended resilient diaphragmII and compresses it against the tapered shoulder II.

Upon thenut I4 being screwed against the wedge member I6, the skirt ofthe diaphragm is compressed against the tapered portion of the barrel II and thus firmly aflixes the diaphragm within the barrel and effects anink tight joint.

Inasmuch as the construction of the nut and diaphragm unit is similar tothat disclosed in the Dahlberg patent heretofore mentioned, it is notthought necessary to describe the said parts in detail.

The diaphragm I'I is conical in shape and closed at one end, the saidclosed end being restricted to form a nipple I8. The plunger I9 isformed of hard rubber reduced and threaded as at 20 at its lowerextremity and knurled at its 30 upper end as at 2| to provide a grippingsurface for the finger when the filler is actuated. An axially drilledsleeve 22 is adapted to be screwed onto the threadedl end of the`plunger to aflix the. diaphragm to the said plunger. The said sleevethroughout most of its length is the same diameter as the plunger.However, the diameter of the lower extremity is greater as to provide ashoulder over which 'the end of the diaphragm is stretched when the saiddiaphragm is assem- 4f bled onto the plunger.- The lower end of thesleeve is axially drilled, the`- aperture formed being of lesserdiameter than the threaded por` tion of the interior wall, the functionof which will beexplained hereafter.

In assemblying the diaphragm onto the plunger, the nipple I3 is forcedthrough the opening in the aperture in the lowermost end of the sleeve,and a soft rubber plug 23 inserted Ithrough the said opening to thebottom of the nipple. The threaded extension of the plunger 'is thenscrewed into the upper open end of the sleeve, its y length being suchthat when the top edge of the sleeve contacts the shoulder on thethreaded extension, the rubber plug 23 pump is will be compressed as tocompress the nipple on the diaphragm (and inserted resilient plug 23),thus causing it to expand outwardly and lock against the shoulder on theinterior of the lower .end of the sleeve. In this manner the diaphragmis assembled to the plunger and the method of so amxing it is such thatwhen the plunger is rotated, the lower end of the diaphragm will twistwith it. v

As may be seen, the plunger, locking nut, wedge member and diaphragmform a complete unit when assembled, thus when the diaphragm is rolledonto the said plunger as to cause the skirt to bear against the taperedface of the wedge member, and the unit is inserted into the open -rearend of the barrel and the nut screwed thereinto, the skirt of thediaphragm will be wedged against the tapered shoulder in the barrel,thus forming an ink tight joint.

The front or nib end of the barrel has the usual nib, feed and air tubeassembly such as disclosed in the Dahlberg patent heretofore mentioned,the relation of the parts being such that upon actuation, either byreciprocation or rotation, of the plunger, a partial vacuum will becreated within the reservoir i3 and thus ink will be drawn thereinto. Ifthe diaphragm be actuated through reciprocation of the plunger, on thedownstroke air and a small portion of the ink drawn vint'o the barrel onthe upstroke will be forced out of the air and ink channels, and thus bycontinued reciprocation of the plunger the reservoir will be filled.

The ink reservoir may also be filled by rotation of the plunger, whichaction will cause the diaphragm to twist on the lower end of the saidplunger, causing air surrounding the plunger within the diaphragm to beexpelled around the plunger, wedge and nut, and also reduce the area ofthe diaphragm within the reservoir and thus create a partial vacuumwithin the said reservoir, whereupon the air pressure within thereservoir being less than the exterior air pressure ink will be drawninto the said reservoir. The user will then release the plunger and thediaphragm will return to normal position due to its natural elasticityand, upon continued rotation and release of the plunger member, thebarrel will be lled.

When the diaphragm twists due to the actuation of the plunger, itnaturally tends to shorten and as the plunger recedes from the interiorof the barrel simultaneously with the shortening of the diaphragm, thecombined twisting and shortening of the diaphragm will cause a greaterair displacement to be had within the barrel than A were the plungerto-be rotated in the same plane.

The fact that greater displacement is effected will increase the vacuumwithin the pen barrel and more ink will be drawn thereinto and thus itwill necessitate fewer actuations of the plunger to complete the fillingof the reservoir.

Although I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of myinvention, I am fully aware that many modifications thereof are pos--sible. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofaras is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appendedclaims.

Having described my invention, whatA I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

l. In a fountain pen, an ink reservoir barrel, -having at one endpassages for ink and air, combined with a twist-sac located within,supported at, and vented toward the other end of the barrel,vand havingan impervious wall extending into the reservoir; and a rotatable elementengaging torsionally a deep part of the sac, thereby by twisting the sacto change displacement of the reservoir.

2. In a fountain pen, 'an ink reservoir barrel, having at one endpassages for ink and air, combined with a twist-sac located within,supported at, and vented toward the other end of the barrel, and havingan impervious wall extending into the reservoir; and a rod reachingAendwise into and engaging torsionally a deep part of the sac, therebyby twisting the sac to change displacement of the reservoir.

3. In a fountain pen, an ink reservoir barrel, having at one endpassages for ink and air, combined with a twist-sac located Within,supported at, and vented toward the other end of the barrel, and havingan impervious wall extending into the reservoir; and a rotating and/orreciprocating element engaging torsionally a deep part of the sac,thereby by twisting and/or reciprocation of the said sac to changedisplacement of the reservoir.

4. In a fountain pen, an ink reservoir barrel, having at one endpassages for ink and air, combined -with a twist-sac located within,supported at, and vented toward the other end of the barrel, and havingan impervious wall extending into the reservoir; a reciprocable and/orrotatable plunger engaging torsionally a deep portion of the sac therebyby twisting and/or rotating the said plunger to change displacement ofthe reservoir.

5. In a fountain pen, an ink reservoir barrel,

having at one end passages for ink and air, comf bined with a twist-saclocated within, supported at, and vented toward the other end of thebarrel,

- and having an impervious wall extending into IVAN D. TEFFT.

